INIHAYAG ng National Press Club of the Philippines (NPC) ang direktiba ng Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) na magtalaga ng mga pulis bilang focal person para sa seguridad ng media.
Base sa DILG memorandum na nilagdaan ni Secretary Eduardo Año, ang Philippine National Police (PNP) ay inatasan na magtalaga ng focal person para sa media security na tatanggap ng impormasyon at tugon sa anumang banta laban sa mga miyembro ng media o media worker.
Direkta namang makikipag-ugnayan ang focal person sa itinalagang Special Agents of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) upang mapabilis ang imbestigasyon at resolusyon ng mga kaso ng violence, threats, at acts of intimidation laban sa mga mamamahayag.
“We would like to express our gratitude to DILG Secretary Eduardo Año for responding to the call for the protection of media practitioners, especially in the provinces, coming as it did when the country is to hold its national elections this May and where, based on experience, threats, intimidation and violence against members of the press are usually on the rise,” ayon kay NPC President Paul Gutierrez.
“We also appreciate the effort of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security for its initiative in raising this matter with the DILG. Giving added protection to journalists, especially during the election season has long been a joint campaign by the NPC and the PTFoMS,” sinabi pa ni Gutierrez.
Binanggit pa ni Gutierrez ang kahalagahan ng direktiba ng DILG na lumabas isang araw lamang matapos pagbabarilin at mapatay sa Tacurong City noong Miyerkules ang isa pang dating komentarista sa radyo na nagpasyang tumakbo para sa isang elective post .
Kinilala itong si Jaynard Angeles, 36 anyos, ng Barangay Matiompong, Lambayong, Sultan Kudarat at dating station manager ng “Radyo ni Juan” FM station na binaril sa ulo.
“We at the National Press Club support the efforts of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the PTFoMS to look into the root of this latest incident as we look forward to the implementation of the DILG order,” ayon pa sa pangulo ng NPC.
“We reiterate, however, that there is no better protection against attacks and threats than the practice of fair, ethical, and responsible journalism as enunciated in the Journalist Code of Ethics,” dagdag pa nito.
Hinimok ni Gutierrez ang lahat ng kinikilalang NPC media group sa bansa, gayundin ang iba pang organisasyon ng media, na simulan ang pakikipag-usap sa pulisya at mga opisyal ng DILG sa kanilang mga lokalidad para sa epektibong pagpapatupad ng direktiba ni Año.